Dolores' Owen Lowe (899) runs with Aaron Nielson (901) during Mancos' 2024 Chicken Creek Challenge on Oct. 12. Lowe finished ninth; Nielson was sixth. Joel Priest/Special to The Journal
Mancos and Montezuma-Cortez fare well after site changed over land conflict
DOLORES – There would be no “Home, Sweet Home” finale for a pair of Bluejays seniors running in their final regular season meet – but even the bittersweet feeling wouldn’t ruin the opportunity for the strong times from the local teams racing at Boggy Draw on Saturday
Dolores' Emma Nielson (824) and Keira LaRose (821) run during Mancos' 2024 Chicken Creek Challenge Oct. 12. Nielson finished 22nd; LaRose, 26th. Joel Priest/Special to The Journal
Mancos' Teagan Archer (827) runs during MHS' 2024 Chicken Creek Challengeon Oct. 12. Archer placed seventh. Joel Priest/Special to The Journal
Montezuma-Cortez's Luna Moore (839) finished 36th in the high-school girls' race.
Dolores stepped to the plate to make sure that the show would still go on, while the Jays led the charge with some inspired performances to accompany Montezuma-Cortez and Dolores in making the most out of the adopted home of the Chicken Creek Challenge. The Dolores boys and girls took second and third, respectively, in their team races, while the M-CHS boys posted their highest finish of the season, taking fifth overall.
The two senior Bluejays who ran in their final “home” meet – Teagan Archer and Sarah Knezek – both broke into the top 20, with Archer taking her best run of the year to finish seventh (23:46), and Knezek crossed in 18th (26:27). Juniors Maddie Swortwood-Green and Tyla Henry raced to 28th (28:11) and 32nd place (29:49) for head coach Brady Archer’s squad. The Mancos girls claimed seventh place as a team in the score-four format.
Meanwhile, Bluejays freshman Cuinn Archer earned the best finish for the Mancos boys, taking 13th (20:56), and sophomore Alekzander Bianchi claimed 46th (24:57) on the challenging Boggy Draw course.
A pack of Panthers led the M-CHS boys, with Corbin Myers (20th, 21:22), William Blair (21st, 21:23) and Cruz Plewe (22nd, 21:37) pacing the way for head coach Dan Tamminga’s group, while Kenai Cotonuts earned 31st (23:04). Roberto Sauzameda added the Panther fifth runner, taking 45th (24:29). Micah Stembridge (60th, 27:07) and Orion Martineau (62nd, 27:38) rounded out the Panthers team effort, as M-CHS scored 80 points to land in the middle of a tough field.
For the M-CHS girls, Sophie Wright led the way (29th, 28:48), followed by Luna Moore (36th, 31:01), Camryn Oliver (37th, 31:07), Taylor Johnson (40th, 31:55) and Jori Polich (50th, 36:54). M-CHS posted a team score of 104, good for seventh overall.
Running on their home course, Dolores enjoyed one more unexpected opportunity to race on the Boggy Draw trails, as the boys placed five in the top 20 to score 40 points in their runner-up performance. The Bears enjoyed a strong day from Aaron Nielson (6th, 19:43), Owen Lowe (9th, 20:28), and Joseph Padilla (10th, 20:38) to lead the way. Meanwhile, Bridger Beyhan (16th, 21:06) and Corvin Smith (17th, 21:11) rounded out the DHS top five runners.
The girls team scored 49 points for the bronze finish, with Elia Lowe earning sixth (23:31) to pace the Bears as she has all season. Maya Lowe crossed the line in 11th (25:01), followed by Emilynn Hill in 13th (25:11), Emma Nielson in 22nd (27:10), and Keira LaRose in 26th (27:42).
Many Farms (Arizona) took both the boys individual and team titles, with Justin Yazzie winning in 19:07 and the team scoring 39 points. In the girls race, Natasha Hessler of Ridgway won the individual title (21:35) while the Demons also captured the team crown with 23 points.
Mancos' Cuinn Archer (913) runs during MHS' 2024 Chicken Creek Challenge--relocated to Dolores' Boggy Draw Bear Chase route--Saturday morning, October 12. Archer finished 13th overall in the high-school boys' race.Joel Priest/Special to The Journal
Mancos' Teagan Archer (827) runs during MHS' 2024 Chicken Creek Challenge--relocated to Dolores' Boggy Draw Bear Chase route--Saturday morning, October 12. Archer placed seventh in the high-school girls' race.Joel Priest/Special to The Journal
Mancos' Alekzander Bianchi (914) runs during MHS' 2024 Chicken Creek Challenge--relocated to Dolores' Boggy Draw Bear Chase route--Saturday morning, October 12. Bianchi placed 46th in the high-school boys' race.Joel Priest/Special to The Journal
Mancos' Maddie Swortwood-Green (830) runs during MHS' 2024 Chicken Creek Challenge--relocated to Dolores' Boggy Draw Bear Chase route--Saturday morning, October 12. Swortwood-Green placed 28th in the high-school girls' race.Joel Priest/Special to The Journal
Dolores' Emma Nielson (824) and Keira LaRose (821) run during Mancos' 2024 Chicken Creek Challenge--relocated to DHS' Boggy Draw Bear Chase route--Saturday morning, October 12. Nielson ended up finishing 22nd in the high-school girls' race; LaRose placed 26th.Joel Priest/Special to The Journal
Dolores' Corvin Smith (906) runs during Mancos' 2024 Chicken Creek Challenge--relocated to DHS' Boggy Draw Bear Chase route--Saturday morning, October 12. Smith placed 17th in the high-school boys' race.Joel Priest/Special to The Journal
Dolores' Owen Lowe (899) runs with Aaron Nielson (901) during Mancos' 2024 Chicken Creek Challenge--relocated to DHS' Boggy Draw Bear Chase route--Saturday morning, October 12. Lowe finished ninth overall in the high-school boys' race, while Nielson ended up surging into sixth.Joel Priest/Special to The Journal
Dolores' Emma Nielson (824) and Keira LaRose (821) run during Mancos' 2024 Chicken Creek Challenge--relocated to DHS' Boggy Draw Bear Chase route--Saturday morning, October 12. Nielson ended up finishing 22nd in the high-school girls' race; LaRose placed 26th.Joel Priest/Special to The Journal
Dolores' Owen Lowe (899) runs with Aaron Nielson (901) during Mancos' 2024 Chicken Creek Challenge--relocated to DHS' Boggy Draw Bear Chase route--Saturday morning, October 12. Lowe finished ninth overall in the high-school boys' race, while Nielson ended up surging into sixth.Joel Priest/Special to The Journal
Dolores' Corvin Smith (906) runs during Mancos' 2024 Chicken Creek Challenge--relocated to DHS' Boggy Draw Bear Chase route--Saturday morning, October 12. Smith placed 17th in the high-school boys' race.Joel Priest/Special to The Journal
Montezuma-Cortez's Camryn Oliver (840) runs during Mancos' 2024 Chicken Creek Challenge--relocated to Dolores' Boggy Draw Bear Chase route--Saturday morning, October 12. Oliver placed 37th in the high-school girls' race.
Montezuma-Cortez's Luna Moore (839) runs during Mancos' 2024 Chicken Creek Challenge--relocated to Dolores' Boggy Draw Bear Chase route--Saturday morning, October 12. Moore ended up 36th in the high-school girls' race.
Montezuma-Cortez Cross-Country head coach Dan Tamminga encourages a Panther during the boys' race of Mancos' 2024 Chicken Creek Challenge--relocated to Dolores' Boggy Draw Bear Chase route--Saturday morning, October 12. M-CHS' boys placed seventh as a team, and the girls sixth.
Montezuma-Cortez's Kenai Cotonuts (930) runs during Mancos' 2024 Chicken Creek Challenge--relocated to Dolores' Boggy Draw Bear Chase route--Saturday morning, October 12. Cotonuts took 31st overall in the high-school boys' race.
Montezuma-Cortez's Corbin Myers (932) runs during Mancos' 2024 Chicken Creek Challenge--relocated to Dolores' Boggy Draw Bear Chase route--Saturday morning, October 12. Myers finished 20th overall in the high-school boys' race.
Montezuma-Cortez's Cruz Plewe (933) runs during Mancos' 2024 Chicken Creek Challenge--relocated to Dolores' Boggy Draw Bear Chase route--Saturday morning, October 12. Plewe placed 22nd in the high-school boys' race.
